Hi and hello :)

A

Asinya Storm

New member
Hi people :)

I'm not sure how I actually fit in here, and I suspect I'll be a bit of a square peg in a round whole type thing, buuut - I want to learn bellydancing.

I tried going to classes but quickly found that my body-awareness and skills were so far behind the rest of the group, and the teachers...I'm very technically minded, I like knowing how's and why's - telling me to "do this" and when I then asked "which muscles should I use?" and "am I allowed to bend my knees?" and all I got in the way of answer was "You'll learn" and "just do what the others do" then I admittedly gave up in frustration.

Fortunately, there is Youtube so I'm currently doing the howcast-videos as often as I can.

I will try classes again once I feel more sure of myself and what I can do, and feel I have developed a better understanding - and I know that it wasn't the teachers fault - I'm just very...mechanically, I guess...wired, so when there is a Right way to do something, I want and need to understand it before trying it.

I guess I sound mildly autistic, but I'm just an ISTP, if that descritpion helps ;)

In any case, and ranting aside, I just felt that maybe I should be here and meet people who can and know and can perhaps support or tell and help. I can hope, at least :)

Ehm, yes, thanks for reading!
 
Anetta

Anetta

New member
Hello Asinya !!
I can totally understand you: when I first attempted to learn BD, I was so furstrated and disappointed that I gave up for a whole year! My body did not follow, I had a million of questions like what muscle to use, how close to put my feet, how much to bend the knees, how hard to squeeze the abs... etc etc And to the worst, I had nobody to ask because there was no BD scool in the town I lived, and I only had DVDs and youtube.
Anyway, after a year I started again, using the same howcast-videos you use (Irina Akulenko). I confirm that these are good videos to start with... except perhaps the reverse undulations, try this video instead ;)

You can use such videos to clarify the technical part and to get familiar with the moves. You need to take your time with te moves as much as I needed. Don't worry, you 'll see progress soon.
But once you learn the very basics I STRONGLY recommend to go back to class! Believe me, learning alone requires much more time & patience, and the danger to learn sth wrong or to injure your back is much greater. I took a few lessons later on with a real teacher, and I can ensure you: 1 hour in a class equals to many-many days of practicing with youtube
You are so lucky to be able to attend real classes, don't spoil this opportunity!
:)
 
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Salome

Salome

Administrator
Welcome to the forum (finally :lol:) inside joke. If your teacher could not break down what she was teaching anymore than 'just do this' then she isn't any kind of teacher. Glad you're here and happy posting!
 
Selene

Selene

New member
Welcome!!! Now I feel very lucky to have the teacher I have. She is very pationate about dance, and she knows all the technical things too. She always comments about posture and what muscles to use and such, and it helps so much because when I practice at home, I can feel and see if Im doing something wrong because she always gives pointers about every step and transition. Anyway, just like you Im here to learn more, I love this community although I dont come as often as I wish I could :p
 
A

Asinya Storm

New member
Thanks for the replies - now I feel welcome, even though I started out doubtful of it :)

I will very much take lessons again, once I feel I have a better base in my body and understanding of the how's and what's - but I suspect I'll try to get private lessons in that case. It was just too stressful for me to feel that I was holding the group back whenever I asked something or didn't understand, so I never pressed the matter when the answers didn't help me, so yeah, totally my bad - but probably best for everyone.

It will be exciting to see what private classes might cost, but I guess I'll pick up on what's realistic within time :)
 
Farasha Hanem

Farasha Hanem

New member
First of all, was your class a beginner class? It seems odd that you would be in a class that you could not keep up with.What Salome said is SO very true! If your teacher couldn't explain or break down the moves for you, then she isn't teaching (not to be unfair to teachers in the Middle East, though---from what I've read, they teach the "follow the bouncing butt" method). Are there any other classes available? Maybe you can Google your local area to see if there are.
 
A

Asinya Storm

New member
Farasha Hanem said:
First of all, was your class a beginner class? It seems odd that you would be in a class that you could not keep up with.What Salome said is SO very true! If your teacher couldn't explain or break down the moves for you, then she isn't teaching (not to be unfair to teachers in the Middle East, though---from what I've read, they teach the "follow the bouncing butt" method). Are there any other classes available? Maybe you can Google your local area to see if there are.
Click to expand...

There's plenty - I'm lucky like that, though they all mention specific bellydance...ehm "genres" and I'm not entirely sure what I want to do (or even what's what) yet. I'm working on that :)

(on a sidenote - this is what made me go "yep, I must learn that stuff!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g59gWtc3Jis - I don't even dare Dream of being that good, but that's pretty much what I'm after)

I also suspect the class I went to was perhaps a bit of a new/inexperienced (since it showed up as an Event on Facebook, where a friend i used to do pole fitness with said it was new and exciting, so that's just my hunch; that the teacher was new to Teaching itself)

And it was beginners - the thing that made me feel angry with myself enough to decide to stay out of classes for a while was that after that class (the "which muscle" - "you'll learn" class) was that afterwards, I went home and found this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACBQ5Zj3Zao) and then, when it was slowly and closely explained and showed, then I suddenly could do the damn move!

That's how basic it was; slide hip to each side - but my mind then goes "Oh, but as the hip goes out, that thigh stretches, meaning this knee is more bent than the other - is that ok, or am I learning Wrong and bad habits now?"

...I get a bit like that, and then I have trouble getting past it, so as said, I am fully aware that it was mainly due to me being stiff and un-spontaneous, but still.

But, long rant aside, there's plenty of classes and teachers around :)
 
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